Time's Halperin Apologizes For Saying Edwards "Thinks Obama Is Kind Of A Pussy"

Fishbowl DC reported this morning that Time's Mark Halperin "has a filthy, dirty mouth," quoting from his interview yesterday with Sirius Radio's Bill Geddie:

BILL GEDDIE: Haven't we heard all along that [John Edwards] doesn't like [Hillary Clinton], haven't we heard this?

MARK HALPERIN: Yes, that's right. And I can tell you, he's really skeptical of her ability to be the kind of president he wants. But, he kinda thinks Obama is..he thinks Obama is kind of a pussy.He has real questions about Obama's toughness, his readiness for the office.he has real doubts about Obama, not just as a president, but as a general election candidate.

This afternoon, Halperin issued a very vague apology on Time.com's The Page:

I'm sorry. In a live radio interview this week, I used a word I shouldn't have. The fact that I was conveying other people's words is no excuse for my lapse in judgment. It won't happen again. -- Mark Halperin

Comments

[raptor]

The New Journalism. Disengage brain from mouth and hands. Say or write anything. "Pimp", Pussy", etc. See if people salute or thumb their noses. If the latter, just apologize and all is well in journalism heaven.

[dax49]

i stopped reading that rag "time" ten years ago because all of their writers are pecker heads.

[Lindy222]

Quote: "do you really think Obama is tough enough to win? doubtful..."

It amazes me anyone would wonder this. How do you think he got to where he is? Luck? Charm?

But I'm disappointed in Edwards. Not for the word, but for what he's doing. Does he think his coy flirtation is serving these causes that are so important to him?

[Svenson]

When MSNBC say 'pimp' obamites think that is OK

Now this poor guy ahs to apologize for calling Obama a pussy ...

Can this pussy win the election ... maybe with mnbc, cnn, kerry, kennedies, moveon, oprah, maria and everyone campainging for him, lying for him, calling any policy criticism a racist attack

[kj593]

Apparently you need a hug and to get yourself in front of a factchecker.

[doschi]

I love how David Shuster gets suspended indefinitely for his "pimped out" comment, but Halperin just has to vaguely apologize for using a naughty word after calling Obama a "pussy."

[hank48188]

He got where he is with the help of the most powerful group of insiders in the country, the ultra-rich eastern liberals like David Rockerfeller and George Soros with their power and influence. They put Jimmy Carter in the White House, that was a disaster, 4 years of malaise and indecision and the Iranian Hostage situation that they did NOTHING to resolve. The American public couldn't wait to banish them back to the political wilderness.

[degjack]

The Clintons are to blame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[venicesurfer]

yes, blame everything on them. should we blame natural disasters on them too?

[isi]

Why the outrage at Halperin if he was relating the conversation he had with Edwards and his people.

[Bacowall]

Edwards calling someone a Pxxxy? Forget it! I like him, but he is yet to win a state. All bark and no bite!! At this stage of the game I thought he would be a good VP for Barack, but with that level of description for someone who is actually winning.... he needs to keep his thoughts to himself, as he ponders, how did I end up after so many months -- no where?
Edward--Enuf!!
http://manchestersquare.blogspot.com

[iPolitics]

Obama is the best candidate (by far), but you can't be serious. More intelligent than Jefferson? Better Commander-in-Chief than Lincoln? Let's not be silly. It hurt Obama in the end by setting un-achievable expectations.

[iPolitics]

that should be posted lower to Superfelo

[Superfelo]

To question Barack Obama's toughness, has to be the result of cultural and racial blindness. It happens all the time in our country. People of different groups, or ethnic cultures, seem to not be able to see the best qualities, in other groups. What passes for "Hombre-hood" in one culture, does not seem to apply in another.
From where I stand I see this: Barack Obama,
an African-American, overcoming all the obstacles placed in his path, to educate himself, go to Law-School, makes it to President of Harvard Law Review; graduates, goes to work in poor neighborhoods; has a dream and pursues it; becomes Senator; continues on his dream, runs for President of the biggest country in the universe; speaks in front of millions, sincerely, directly and straight, and does not flinch or sweat; debates and wins; speaks calmly, and keeps a calm demeanor;
is placing his life on the line at every stop......well, well, well. It has definitely to be a case of racial and cultural blindness; and envy, and sour grapes; and wishful thinking.
I think Barack Obama is going to be the best Commander-in-Chief this country ever had, and dare I say it-the smartest.

Yes, We Can!

Enough said.

[4Hope]

Yes, We Can, Superfelo! Thanks for those words.
Obviously Senator Obama is tough enough...but he's not angry like Edwards. Do you think that Edwards believes his nasty rants showed that he was strong? Quite the opposite! Those public displays of red-faced, blatant temper scared me...the same way McCain scares me....I don't want a hothead leading this country.
Senator Obama is even-tempered & thoughtful, brilliant & charismatic, experienced & able to attract intelligent people to help him. He is uncorruptable. He is centered by the love of a good, strong woman & their children. He is exactly what this country needs now.
He also doesn't get $400. haircuts...who's the p- - - y?!?!?

[Chrisanne]

Enough said? 'Fraid not. The level of naivete on the part of Obama supporters is mindboggling. He can shout "we can, we can" until the cows come home, but he still lacks--what's it called?--"gravitas." Please take off the rose-colored glasses and join the real world. He's not superhuman--he can't bring us change, hope, and all of his other utopian promises solely on his own. He has to work with Congress. He has to negotiate with world leaders--many of whom are royally pissed off after the past 7+ years. He may have mesmerizing rhetoric on his side, but he's going to need a hell of a lot more than that to be the "best Commander-in-Chief this country ever had." What a bunch of hyperbolic crap.

[kj593]

He lacks gravitas because...? You say so? Clintons say so? I love that folks try to dismiss him as if they could accomplish a tenth of what he's done.

The reality is that he's going to be fine. He understands something that President Bush never did: the importance of communication skills and, in particular, LISTENING skills. But I'm sure you'll dismiss this as irrelevant because it's not what Clinton would say/do.

[catilinus]

GRAVITUS? Yes, Obama has Gravitus. He can admit when he is wrong, listens to others, learns, and then moves on to victory. The Clintons have no gravitus. They have become parodies of themselves and lost all credibility internationally. Their last supporters are a small handfull of haters on the web whose only response to an endless series of mistakes in this campaign is to yell "misogyny." How's that 1950's style man-hating working out for you.

[mexamerican]

hey chrissanne, while obama was in the senate today voting against telecom immunity to protect our civil liberties, your tough candidate hillary (who was in the area during the vote) gutlessly skipped out so that she wouldn't appear to be "weak" on terror. that shows REAL strength, doesn't it? get over yourself. you're in no position to judge gravitas. hillary clinton is a political triangulator who votes according to political expediency: voted for the iraq war, voted for the bankruptcy bill, voted for giving bush the opening to attack iran, and sponsored the flag-burning amendment--now there's "gravitas" for you!

[theuniversal]

I agree. I think Obama is good at keeping his head. But if push came to shove I think he could eat Edwards alive.

[mexamerican]

superfelo, you've said all that needs to be said about the subject. obama has proven his metal all his life.

Obama '08!

[MSaldana]

That would be "mettle."

-MS

[knixphan]

si se puede.

[gvidal]

that wasn't appropriate....but....
do you really think Obama is tough enough to win?
doubtful...

[brueso]

this reporter clearly might have pulled this 'quote' out of his own ass, but if it's true- it's very disappointing to hear Edwards is such a jack ass. But I guess he must've been frustrated that a younger man with less Senate experience cleaned his clock.

[4Hope]

he already has won....it's all over but the counting...& hopefully, Billary will have the good sense to step aside.

[kj593]

other than the fact he"s 23-11 in the 34 contests to date, I can see where you'd be confused about his toughness to win.

[semorg]

we all knew he was just a platform for the Clinton's memo. But boy, did he take this far. He needs to be put on the leave.

[oogabooga]

Edwards is an ambulance chaser with one term in the Senate. What makes him qualified to be President? Obama is a natural leader. Edwards is burning with envy, period. He should give Obama his delegates and then go away and watch a real leader in action. Obama will crush McCain, 55% to 45%, give or take a couple of percentage points for the goofballs like Nader.

[scahlet]

Hey Oogabooga.............what and where has your Obama lead to? Jeez, if anything Id say he missed his calling. No doubt he should have been a preacherman. Why he'd make the blind man see......so he claims! Gte real.....Obama hasnt done squat!

[brueso]

hmm- Obama got healthcare passed for kids in Illinois. What exactly did Edwards ever do? Oh yeah- he won a lot of lawsuits that made him a multi-millionaire. That's a body of work to be proud of.

[kj593]

Let's see, ethics reform (state and national), health care reform (state), death penalty reform (state), nuclear proliferation (federal), communty organizing, constitutional law lecturer and last, but certainly not least, he's leading this Democratic Primary (which, I can say with all sincerity, is more than any of his critics could ever HOPE to do or ever believed that the could do).

[mexamerican]

he's about to become the democratic choice for president. i'd call that significantly more than "squat," especially since his hard won victory will be at the expense of the inevitable hillary clinton and her unbeatable machine.

i still remember all the calls from the nitwit pundits screaming about how obama needed to "take the gloves off" against hillary. but the entire campaign he's taken the high road. i guess that makes him a "pussy." well the electorate is responding to his dignity and his ideas. we're not brain dead. we're inspired and inspiration goes a long way.

Obama '08

[knixphan]

And Barack has lived a life in defiance of naysayers, (kinda like the ones who troll here) while maintaining style, grace and poise.

[moda31]

so is he saying that edwards was the one who used the word pussy and he was just repeating it so its not his fault? hmmm

[poppyseed]

Yeah, that Halperin, what a profile in accountability and courage...'it's not my fault I said a bad word, it's not my bad word it's the other guy's'.

Yeah, that's what we want in our journalists, parrots.

Memo to Halperin: A bird's brain in a bird's head is just about right, a bird's brain in your head is, well, just about right.

[Boadicea]

So, you're ok with one Democratic candidate calling the other a "pussy" - a misogynous term, by the way - as long as a reporter doesn't repeat it on the radio?

Personally, I find this perhaps the most offensive thing Edwards has done yet, and frankly, he's made some other mistakes....

He's jealous. His massive ego can't take the success of another candidate. Dennis Kucinich knows Edwards well.

[Bobzmcishl]

Well it didn't take long for this campaign to get sleazy. No wonder journalism is held is such low esteem, especially the MSM. These are the same idiots who endorsed Bush II going into Iraq. Obama was a street organizer and you have to be pretty tough in the streets of Chicago. The irony here is our current "tough" president has been a disaster for the country. Maybe what we need is a smart president, who will be tough as a last resort.

[epistrophy]

...not that there's anything wrong with that.

[forpeace]

*

Hey Halperin, next time THINK first, before you open your mouth!

*

[Madampotential]

I blame HIP HOP....

Yep, it's Snoop's fault! The MSM is always scapegoating hip hop for everything so I am sure Shuster and Halprin are just a poor reflection of the hip hop generation, it has nothing to do with how they were raised or anything.

[ramal]

The question should be raised not about the candidates but rather Halperin's "pussy" comment and the MSNBC reporter's "pimp" comment. Is this what American journalism has come to? Are these commentators trying to have a rational, intelligent dialogue on supposedly respected news venues or are they just having a beer with the boys down at the corner tavern? Both these stories bespeak volumes about the sad, corrupt, shoddy state of American broadcast journaslism. Most of these people care nothing about POLITICS their bread and butter is in discussing POLITICIANS. It has become only endless, mundane, banter about their perceptions, or the lastest rumor or scandal. It is total non-news. No wonder the American people have little or no interst in the sad state of their country.